Equipment



Sept 21, 1965 F. P. CHARYN ETAL 3,207,330

EQUIPMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 4, 1962 Sept. 21, 1965 F. P. cHARYN ETAL. 3,207,330

EQUIPMENT Filed Sept. 4, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 F, 6 ..3 MN M. wnrsm/ Sept 21, 1965 F. P. CHARYN ETAL. 3,207,330

EQUIPMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 4, 1962 United States Patent O 3,207,330 EQUIPMENT f Fred P. Charyn, Hayward, Ian M. Watson, Berkeley, and Kenneth E. Olsen, Oakland, Calif., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Kaiser Industries Corporation, Oakland,

Calif., a corporation of Nevada Filed Sept. 4, 1962, Ser. No. 221,222 2 Claims. (Cl. 214-16) This invention relates to a system and arrangement for storing and handling iinely divided solid materials `and in particular to a Portland cement manufacturing facility wherein a novel system and arrangement is employed for storing Iand handling both the raw materials as well as the finished cement products themselves.

Plants and structures for the handling and storage of cement raw materials and finished cement products and the like have heretofore been comprised of a series of building quite widely separated with respect to each other and widely dispersed throughout the overall area of the total plant. The testing, control and charging elements employed therein have also been located at considerable distances from each other and from the storage bins or silos.

According to the present invention, there is provided a lcompact and efficient cement plant arrangement and materials handling system wherein the essential components of the plant, including control and storage elements, are contained or housed in a unique fashion in a cluster of modular building structures or an integrated arrangement of individual building modules, A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described below.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is an overall plan view partially schematic and partially sectional showing a cluster of modular structures and related elements arranged according to the present invention;

FIG. Q is a vertical sectional view generally taken along the line 2-2 `of FIG. 1 with some parts broken away, with some parts added and other parts removed for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional View generally taken along line 3 3 of FIG. 1 and with some parts broken away and with parts added and other parts removed for the sake of clarity; and

FIG. 4 is `a vertical sectional view generally taken along line 4 4 of FIG. 1 with parts removed and other parts added for the sake of clarity.

With further reference to the drawings, a portion of a central modular structure generally indicated at S and including a plurality of individual building modules 6 and 7 houses at least one storage bin 11 and preferably a second storage bin 12. These bins are advantageously disposed at the top portion of the overall structure and modules 6 and 7, whereby they can be extended vertically as desired to provide suicient storage space for either raw or burned cement materials.

In a prefenred embodiment of the invention, the central overall modular structure 5 is horizontally divided below the outlets of storage bins 11 and 12 into a plurality of levels :and compartments, the topmost compartment 13 serving as a main control room for the plant operator, the intermediate compartment 14 serving as a laboratory, such as a chemical laboratory, and the lower compartment 15 serving .as a space for conventional power units and auxiliary equipment used to operate the plant. Access means, such as conventional stairways S,

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are provided between the several compartments 13 and 14. Access means are also provided between the laboratory in compartment 14 to the discharge zones of storage bins 20, 21, 22 and 23 which form parts of or are housed in the adjoining individual building structures or modules 6', 7', 8 and 9 and to the conveyor belts, e.g., 24, 27.

Storage bins 11 and 12 are provided with conventional discharge gates or outlets 16 and 17, respectively. Disposed beneath the outlets 16 and 17 are the respective conveyor belts 18 and 19, each of which moves alternately in opposite directions as desired and as will be more fully described below.

As indicated in the drawings disposed adjacent the peripheral side portions of the central modular structure 5 and in :adjoining relationship thereto is at -least one, and preferably two or `a plurality of additional storage bins or modular structures 5 and 5", which in turn are respectively comprised in part of the individual modules or sections 6', 7, 8 and 9. Modular structure 5 is provided with the storage bins 20 and 21, while modular structure 5 is provided with the storage bins 22 and 23. It will be understood that storage capacity can be eX- panded when desired by adding whatever additional modular structures or individual modules are required adjacent the aforesaid modular structures.

In the drawings, bins 20 and 21 are advantageously disposed at a predetermined level in modules 6' and 7 and above conveyor belt 24. Bins 20 and 21 serve as receptacles for burned cement clinker coming from a furnace, such as a rotary kiln 25, the details of which aire not shown. The clinker is removed or discharged from kiln 25 and fed or transferred into bins 20 :and 21 by any desired means, such as bucket elevators (not shown) and a system ofV belt conveyors a, b, c, d and e and a chute device f schematically shown in FIG. 1. Conveyor a serves as the main conveyor leading from and supplied by the conventional clinker cooler (not shown) for the kiln25. The clinker passes from conveyor a to a rotatable chute device f which can be pivoted to supply either conveyor b or conveyor e or conveyor g. Conveyor e leads to bin 20. Conveyor b connects with conveyors c and d leading to bins 21 .and conveyor g leads to bin 11. Another conveyor (not shown) can cooperate with chute device f to supply bin 12 with clinker if desired. Conveyor belt 24 is employed to transport feed from the bins 20 and 21 to a milling zone generally indicated at 26, the arrow showing the normal direction of travel of the conveyor belt.

Modular' structure 5" :is located adjacent a side portion of central structure 5 in an opposite fashion to modular structure 5. Modular structure 5 is provided with storage bins 22 and 23 in which limestone can be stored. The bottoms of bins 22 and 23 are suitably inclined or taper as =at 28 and project downwardly to a discharge opening or discharge gate 29 in each instance. The other bins shown herein have similarly congurated bottoms. Conveyor belt 27 passes beneath bins 22 and 23 and carries the limestone periodically discharged thereon in predetermined amounts and then conveys it to the milling zone 26 where it is comminuted for feeding to tanks T where it is s-lurried if for feeding ina wet processor homogenized if for feeding in a dry process and is forwarded to such tanks by .a conduit means X whence the material is then transmitted by a suitable conduit means Y to the kiln or furnace 25 for burning, all in a manner Well-known in the art.

The various storage bins yabove-described, which for purposes of the description will be called primary storage bins, are generally of tubular construction, i.e., they are of generally circular cross-sectional configuration, except for their tapering or inclined bottom sections which may be of other cross-'sectional configurations, e.g., rectangular, if desired. As noted above, the central modular structure 5 is generally composed of two adjacent sections or modules 6 and 7, each of which can be of generally cir-cular cross section. At the uppermost level of modular structure 5, the individual modules or sections 6 and 7 thereof enclose the bases `of storage bins 11 and 12, respectively, and associated conveyor belts 18 and 19, and also contain air-conditioning equipment, generally indicated at 33 in FIG. 2. At the control room level and below or in the vertical plane A shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 where the walls of the circular end sections or modules 6 and 7 adjoin or merge with each other and 4are terminated to provide one common large area broken down into compartments 13, 14 and 15, suitable supporting pillars or columns 34 are provided.

As indicated in FIG. 4, storage bins 22 and 23 adjoin each other at the upper level of modules 8 and 9 for most of vertical plane B by means of the common wall 35. Storage bin 22 also adjoins or merges with module 6 again within vertical plane B at common wall 36 and lstorage bin 23 adjoins or merges with module or section 7 at common wall 37 also within vertical plane B. The

Vside walls 38 :of central modular structure 5 also are located in plane A and serve to separate the chambers 13, 14 and 15 from the lower portions of modules 6', 7', 8 and 9. The upper portions of Walls 35, 36, 37 and pillars 34 which become common wall 34' at the top, `all within plane B, coact with the peripheral wall sections 45 and 46 of bins 22 `and 23 and peripheral wall sections 45' and 46 of bins 11 and 12, respectively, to form a secondary storage bin 39, which is Ialso provided with a tapered base `or bottom 28 and a discharge gate or outlet 29, and which in this embodiment stores shale, another raw material, along with the limestone for the production of cement.

In a like manner, bin 20 adjoins section 6 at the side rthereof opposite bin 22 within the plane B by virtue `of common Wall means 40; bin 21 adjoins section 7 opposite b-in 23 at comm-on wall means 42 within the same plane B; bins and 21 adjoin each other within plan-e B at common wall 41. Wall means 40, 41, 42 and 34 coact with the peripheral wall portions 47 and 48 of bins 20 and 21, respectively and peripheral wall portions 47f and 48 of bins 11 and 12 to form secondary storage bin 44, which in this embodiment lserves to store gypsum, a set control material to be incorporated in the finished cement product. Secondary bin 44 is also provided with a tapered discharge base 28 and la discharge gate means or outlet 29. With the exception of bins 11 and 12 a take-off device 100 such as a conventional proportioning `and controlling gravimetric feeding device is disposed beneath each of the bins described in this application to remove predetermined and weighted amounts of clinker, additive, limestone, etc., and transfer such materials to the coveyor belts associated with the bins all in a manner well known to this art. In the cases of bins 11 and 12 a simple gravimetric feeding device 100' is employed.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention the bases or bottoms of the bins 20, 21, 22 and 23 terminate above the floor level 49 in each of the several sections or modules 6, 7, 6', 7', 8 and 9 and there are provided suitable access means to this floor, e.g., stairs and ramps such as are indicated vat s whereby laboratory 4and other personnel can enter and move about to take samples, regulate operations, etc., as desired.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention another section or module 52 of circular cross-section which includes a storage space 52' can be provided. Section 52 is disposed intermediate the peripheral portions 56 and 57 of bins 22 and 23 in the present embodiment. Storage space 52' adjoins bin 22 at common wall means 53 and bin 23 at common wall means 54. Storage space 52' is likewise provided with a suitably tapered bottom or base 28 and discharge gate or outlet means 29. Peripheral Wall portion 56 of bin 22, peripheral wall portion 57 of bin 23, peripheral wall portion 58 of module 52 and common wall 35 all coact to enclose and form a further secondary bin 58 which is likewise provided with a suitable tape-red bottom 28 and outlet means 29. Conventional proportioning and controlling gravimetric feeding devices are disposed beneath bin 58 and storage space 52', respectively. Conveniently, in the present embodiment, space 52' serves to store and dispense tailings and bin 58' to store and dispense slag. The material discharged from each of these bins is also ultimately transferred to the conveyor belt 27 by means of chutes 80 and 81 and conveyor 82 which then serves to transport these materials to the milling Zone to form eventually part of the feed for the kiln `or furnace 25.

Storage bins 11 and 12 are preferably of circular cross section. Each of the bins 11 and 12 of their respective modules `stores either limestone or cement clinker, as desired. For instance, when bin 11 is used to store and dispense limestone, conveyor belt 18 moves toward bin 22 to feed limestone eventually to belt 27 by means of a chute 27 and surge bin 28', as disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 4, with surge bin 28' occupying a relatively lsmall space between the central modular structure 5 and the base of bin 22 above oor level 49. Bin 12, on the other hand, is generally used to store cement clinker, although it can be alternatively used to store limestone or other additives. When bin 12 is used to store clinker, conveyor belt 19 runs toward bin 21 conveying clinker eventually t-o belt 24 by means of a chute 27" and surge tank 28" similar in structure, operation, etc., to those used in conjunction with belt 18. It will also be understood that bin 11 can alternatively be used t-o store and dispense clinker, in which case belt 18 is driven in the direction of bin 20 and feeds clinker to vbelt 24 by way of a chute 27' and surge bin 28' and proportional gravimetric feeders all disposed similar to like structures described above.

Suitable bucket elevators or the like are employed to feed raw `or modifying materials, such as limestone, shale, gypsum, etc., to the various bins. These charging means are not shown herein since they are well-known in this ait.

The various bins, modules and central modular structure have been described above as being of generally circular cross-sectional congurations in plan, at least within the planes or areas Where the bins, modules` and the central modular structure adjoin each other to form common wall means. It will be understood, however, that the bins, modules and central structure can be of other desirable cross-sectional configurations, e.g., hexagonal or octagonal. Where the bins and central modular structure are of such cross-sectional coniigurations that the peripheries or Wall of adjoining elements diverge from each other after termination of the common wall in a hori- Zontal plane, the wall portions of at least three adjoining individual modules or modular structures coact to form a further storage and dispensing bin, all as herein described, such as in the case of bin 58. It will also be understood that further storage bins can be constructed adjacent the outer walls or sides of the bins shown in the drawings to form still further enclosed storage bins by coaction of the common and peripheral walls of the adjoining bins. y

The clinker stored in such bins as 20, 21, 11 or 12 can be Portland cement clinker received from the furnace zone 25. The s-econdary or star-like bins, eg., 39, 44 and 58', can be used alternatively to store other materials than those specically mentioned above.

When the plant is put into operation, crushed limestone rock is supplied to bins 22 and 23 and, as an example, into bin 12; and shale is supplied to bin 39, slag to bin 58 and silica to storage space 52'. It is to be understood, of course, that the particular bin content arrangement disclosed in the drawings may be changed depending on the results desired. The conveyor belt 27 is actu-A ated, running to the mill building or milling zone 26. Weighed amounts of limestone, shale, 'slag and tailings are withdrawn from the bases of the respective bins and deposited on belt 27 by means of the conveyons, chutes and proportioning and gravimetric feeding devices mentioned above. Limestone rfrom bin 12 is used when bins 22 or 23 are empty or as required by the chemical constituents of materials used by means of the gravimetr-ic feeding device 100' and conveyor belt 19 which is driven toward the righthand chute 27l and surge tank 28 as shown in FIG. l, whence the material can be properly added to conveyor belt 27. In the operation of a wet pro-cess, the milled and blended raw material is carried by conduit means X and slurried with water in the tanks T; and in plants using a dry process is homogenized therein and is then fed by conduit means Y to a furnace Zone, for example to a rotary kiln, and is burned to form cement clinker.

The cement climker is fed from the clinker cooler (not shown) and associated with the kiln in furnace zone 25 into bins 26 and 21 and, if desired, also in bin 11 by the conveyors a, b, c, d, e and g and chute device f. Belt 24 is actuated running to a milling Zone 26 located in a suitable mill building. Clinker is withdrawn in predetermined weighed amounts from the bases of bins and 21 and deposited on belt 24 by the devices as described above. Gypsum, a set control additive, is likewise transferred from bin 44 and deposited on belt 24 in a like manner. Clinker from bin 11 is withdrawn from the base of this bin in predetermined weighed amounts and deposited on belt 18, which is driven in the direction of bin 20, whence the clinker goes through the left-hand chute 27 to the left-hand surge bin 28', as shown in FIG. 1. From surge bin 28', it can be added in weighed amounts to belt 24 by a conventional proportioning and controlling gravimetric feeder device 100, as desired. The clinker and additive proceed to the milling zone and are milled and blended to form the desired cement product, eg., Portland cement. This final product is then pneumatically conveyed through a plurality of conduits 205, of which only one is shown, to additional storage bins in modules 90 and 91, which are schematically and partially lshown in FIG. 1. A proportioning and controlling gravimetric feeder services both bin 20 and surge bin 28. The control operator stationed in the control room 13 can readily observe the furnace zone or area and the milling zone 26 through suitable windows 200 and 201 at each end of the control room. Chemical and technical personnel are located in the laboratory and have access to oor level 49 to take samples for analysis and examination of the raw materials and of the cement clinker and its additives. The electrical room located below the control room and laboratory contains major control centers and other electrical apparatus for control of all motors throughout the plant. This electrical apparatus includes starters, breakers, etc., for motor protection which are connected through wiring trays or conduits to the control operator station located in the control room. Through a combination of the central control operators panel and the electrical room with motor starters, all motors for operating the various conveyors, feeders, air-conditioning units, etc., throughout the entire plant are controlled. Location of the electrical room minimizes length of control wires, provides for easy maintenance, etc. The air conditioning equipment is located in the area above the control room and immediately adjacent to the bins.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described. It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims, wherein what is claimed is:

1. A compact system for the production of Portland cement which comprises in combination means for handling and selectively storing raw materials for the production of Portland cement and burned cement clinker produced therefrom andadjacent thereto a milling zone and a burning zone for said materials, a central enclosed structure for housing control means and personnel comprising a plurality of floor levels, including a main control level, a laboratory level and a power equipment level, access means for personnel between each of said levels within said enclosed structure, said enclosed structure having side walls and end walls, windows disposed in at least said end walls at said control level to enable observation of said adjacent zones, a series of adjoining modules provided with storage bins, a pair of said storage bins being disposed adjacent to a side wall of said central structure; each of said storage bins having a common wall means with a portion of said central structure; the bins in a pair of bins having a common wall with each other; said common wall means between each bin of a pair of bins, said common walls between the bins of a pair of bins and said central structure, said bins in a pair of bins and said central structure all co-acting to form an associated secondary storage bin; each of said bins being provided with a tapered base and outlet means, means including a common conveyor means disposed below said outlet means and exteriorly of said central structure `for selectively removing materials from each pair of storage bins and said associated secondary bin and transferring the same to said milling zone for milling thereof, one pair of said bins serving to store raw materials and the opposite pair of said bins se-rving to store partially iinished cement materials derived from said burning zone, means for transferring milled material from said milling zone to said burning zone, and means for transferring burned materials from said bu-rning zone to said opposite pair of bins, each of said storage bins being of circular cross-section.

2. A compact system for the production of Portland cement which comprises a milling Zone and spaced therefrom a burning zone and disposed between said zones and adjacent to each said zone means for handling and selectively storing raw materials for said production and burned cement clinker produced, a central, separately enclosed structure for housing control means and personnel comprising a plurality of floor levels, access means for personnel to enable passage from each of said levels to each other of said levels within said enclosed structure and outwardly to below associated storage bins, said enclosed structure having four side walls and two end walls, one of said end walls facing said burning zone and the other end wall facing said milling zone, observation means disposed in each of said end walls to enable inspection respectively of said burning zone and said milling Zone, a series of modules provided with storage bins adjoining said structure, a pair of said storage bins being disposed adjacent each side wall of said central structure; each of said storage bins having a common wall means with a portion of said central structure; the bins in a pair of bins having a common wall with each other; said common wall means between each bin of a pair of bins, said common walls between the bins of a pair of bins and said central structure, said bins in a pair of bins and said central structure all co-acting to form an associated secondary storage bin at each side of said central structure, each of said bins being provided in a discharge zone with a tapered base and outlet means, means including a common conveyor means disposed below said outlet means and exteriorly of said central structure for selectively removing materials from one pair of storage bins and said associated secondary bin and transferring the same to said milling zone for milling thereof, one pair of said bins serving to store raw materials and the opposite pair of said bins serving to store burned cement clinker derived from said raw materials, and means `for transferring burned cement clinker from said burning zone to said opposite pair of bins, and means for air-conditioning said '7' central structure, and access means to each said discharge 1,098,559 zone from said central structure. 1,342,418 1,5 08, 1 15 References Cited bythe Examiner 1:54213 g() UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 3,124,906

806,732 12/05 Blaisdell 214-16 X 873,774 12/07 McQueen 214-16 896,233 8/08 McQueen 214-16 X Cooley 50-1-41 Brahtz 214-16 Mueller 214-16 Foster 214-16 Fegles.

HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Examiner. 

1. A COMPACT SYSTEM FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PORTLANT CEMENT WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION MEANS FOR HANDLING AND SELECTIVELY STORING RAW MATERIALS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PORTLAND CEMENT AND BURNED CEMENT CLINKER PRODUCED THEREFROM AND ADJACENT THERETO A MILLING ZONE AND A BURNING ZONE FOR SAID MATERIALS, A CENTRAL ENCLOSED STRUCTURE FOR HOUSING CONTROL MERANS AND PERSONNEL COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF FLOOR LEVELS, INCLUDING A MAIN CONTROL LEVEL, A LABORATORY LEVEL AND A POWER EQUIPMENT LEVEL, ACCESS MEANS FOR PERSONNEL BETWEEN EACH OF SAID LEVELS WITHIN SAID ENCLOSED STRUCTURE, SAID ENCLOSED STRUCTURE HAVING SIDE WALLS AND END WALLS, WINDOWS DISPOSED IN AT LEAST SAID END WALLS AT SAID CONTROL LEVEL TO ENABLE OBSERVATION OF SAID ADJACENT ZONES, A SERIES OF ADJOINING MODULES PROVIDED WITH STORAGE BINS, A PAIR OF SAID STORAGE BINS BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT TO A SIDE WALL OF SAID CENTRAL STRUCTURE; EACH OF SAID STORAGE BINS HAVING A COMMON WALL MEANS WITH A PORTION OF SAID CENTRAL STRUCTURE; THE BINS IN A PAIR OF BINS HAVING A COMMON WALL WITH EACH OTHER; SAID COMMON WALL MEANS BETWEEN EACH BIN OF A PAIR OF BINS, SAID COMMON WALLS BETWEEN THE BINS OF A PAIR OF BINS AND SAID CENTRAL STRUCTURE, SAID BINS IN A PAIR OF BINS AND SAID CENTRAL STRUCTURE ALL CO-ACTING TO FORM AN ASSOCIATED SECONDARY STORAGE BIN; EACH OF SAID BINS BEING PROVIDED WITH A TAPERED BASE AND OUTLET MEANS, MEANS INCLUDING A COMMON CONVEYOR MEANS DISPOSED BELOW SAID OUTLET MEANS AND EXTERIOLRY OF SAID CENTRAL STRUCTURE FOR SELECTIVELY REMOVING MATERIALS FROM EACH PAIR OF STORAGE BINS AND SAID ASSOCIATED SECONDARY BIN AND TRANSFERRING THE SAME TO SAID MILLING ZONE FOR MILLING THEREOF, ONE PAIR OF SAID BINS SERVING TO STORE RAW MATERIALS AND THE OPPOSITE PAIR OF SAID BINS SERVING TO STORE PARTIALLY FINISHED CEMENT MATERIALS DERIVED FROM SAID BURNING ZONE, MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING MILLED MATERIAL FROM SAID MILLING ZONE TO SAID BURNING ZONE, AND MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING BURNED MATERIALS FROM SAID BURNING ZONE TO SAID OPPOSITE PAIR OF BINS, EACH OF SAID STORAGE BINS BEING OF CIRCULAR CROSS-SECTION. 